UNIT-1

1. Business communication

Definition: Communication is the process of transmitting information from one person

to another. It is the act of sharing of ideas, facts, opinions, thoughts, messages or
emotions to other people, in and out the organisation, with the use of the channel to
create mutual understanding and confidence.

It is not tied to words, i.e. whether an individual speaks or not, the message is
automatically conveyed to the other party. Besides words, communication can take
place through symbols, letters, actions, expressions, etc.

Importance of Communication

1. The Basis of Co-ordination

The manager explains to the employees the organizational goals, modes of their
achievement and also the interpersonal relationships amongst them. This provides
coordination between vario employees and also departments. Thus, communications
act as a basis for coordination in the organization.

2. Fluent Working

A manager coordinates the human and physical elements of an organization to run it

smoothly and efficiently. This coordination is not possible without proper communication.

3. The Basis of Decision Making

Proper communication provides information to the manager that is useful for decision
making. No decisions could be taken in the absence of information. Thus, communication
is the basis for making the right decisions.
4. Increases Managerial Efficiency

The manager conveys the targets and issues instructions and allocates jobs to the
subordinates. All of these aspects involve communication. Thus, communication is
essential for the quick and effective performance of the managers and the entire
organization.

5. Increases Cooperation and Organizational Peace

The two-way communication process promotes co-operation and mutual understanding

amongst the workers and also between them and the management. This leads to less
friction and thus leads to industrial peace in the factory and efficient operations.

6. Boosts Morale of the Employees

Good communication helps the workers to adjust to the physical and social aspects of
work. It also improves good human relations in the industry. An efficient system of
communication enables the management to motivate, influence and satisfy the
subordinates which in turn boosts their morale and keeps them motivated.

➢ Role of communication in business organisations:

1. EXCHANGING INFORMATION:

Communication is important to exchange information between two or more parties.

Whether it is your client or your supplier and employees, you‘ll need to share information
with them to keep them updated

For example –If you need an ABC product of a particular quality. You communicated
the message to the supplier to provide you with ABC product but did not mention the
quality
required. In that case, there is a high probability that you won‘t get the required item. So,
it would result in wastage of time and your financial resources too.
2. GOAL ACHIEVEMENT:

If you are working with a group of people or anyone other than you, you‘ll need to share
your opinion and goals to ensure that everyone else is on the same page. Without
synchronization of your goals, you cannot expect results to go in your favor.

Have you set increasing the revenues by 5% as your business goal? But you haven‘t
communicated the goal itself or the strategy that you wish to pursue with the other
members of the team, then the chances are that each of the members would have a
different goal and strategy in mind. Such a chaos would not help in the achievement of
your goals. You‘ll have to communicate it in a way that you take others on board. Only
then you can expect to achieve goals.

3. DECISION MAKING:
The decision-making regarding the business is dependent on information that you would
collect regarding the particular aspect of the business. How do you expect to collect this
information and formulate strategy? You‘ll have to communicate with someone to collect
information or discuss it for making strategies. Even if you think you can manage the
process up till here on your own, you‘ll still need to communicate your decision to the
others for implementation. So, there is no way out without realizing the role of
communication in business.

4. MARKETING BUSINESSES:

Either you are selling a B2B product or a B2C product, you‘ll need to tell your customers
about these products or services. This, in simple terms, is ―marketing‖. It involves the
communication of the right kind of message to the right audience. Without this
communication, you cannot expect to sell your products or reach your audience in an
effective manner. Branding is another important aspect and you can know more about it
through this article.
 There are numerous other aspects that would highlight the importance of communication.
But I suppose you would have got the glimpse of the importance
Types of Business Communication

1. Verbal Communication:

Verbal communication occurs when we connect in speaking with others. It can be face-
to-face, over the telephone, via Skype etc. Some verbal actions are casual, such as
chatting with a friend in the office, while others are more formal, such as a planned
meeting. Regardless of the kind, it is not just about the words, it is also about the quality
and difficulty of those words, how we cord those words jointly to create an overarching
message, as well as the modulation used while speaking.

Examples of Verbal Communication:

• Terminating employees

• Boldness

• Training others to hold out a task or role

• Using self-revelation to support sharing

• Speaking peacefully even when you‘re worried

2. Written Communication:

Written communication involves any interaction that makes employ of the written word. It
is one of the two major types of communication; along with oral communication. Some
of the different forms of written communication that are used inside for business
operations include reports, bulletins, memos, job descriptions, employee manuals, and
electronic mail.

All forms of written communication have a comparable purpose of dealing out

information in an apparent and short manner though that purpose is often not achieved.
 Examples of Written Communication:

• Letters

• Email

• Faxes

• Internet

• Postcards

• Brochures

• Advertisements

• Telegrams

• Proposals
3. Visual Communication:

Visual communication skills need the use of visual aids which examine or viewed for
thoughts and information to be communicated. For example, graphs, charts, maps,
posters, packaging design, books, screen-based media etc. are all kinds of visual aids.
The body gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact of a person can also assist in
visual communication by assigning a message. Which kind of visual communication is
right for your company depends on the goal you‘d like to attain and also depends on
your target audience.

Examples of Visual Communication:

• Training and educational videos:

Training and educational videos are an enormous part of effective visual

communication. You have to present your teams with the materials that they require to
do their job well. Videos help to get your position across in a way that everyone can
welcome.

• Trade Shows
• Conferences

• Websites

• Social media posts

• Office presentations

4. Non-Verbal Communication:

Non-verbal communication involves facial expressions, eye contact, posture, hand

movements, and touch. For instance, if you‘re busy in a conversation with your manager
about your cost- saving thought, it is imperative to pay notice to both the words and their
non-verbal communication. Your manager might be in concord with your thought
verbally, but their nonverbal cues: avoiding eye contact, sighing, scrunched up face, etc.
point out something diverse.

Examples of Non-Verbal Communication:

• Eye Contact:

In business, the method and period of eye contact measured suitable vary greatly across cultures.

• Facial Expressions:

Experts have decided these expressions as equivalent to hundreds of unlike emotional

states. Our faces suggest necessary information to the external world.

• Body Language:

A simple rule is that ease, honesty, and heat express sincerity. And sincerity is input to
efficient communication. A firm greeting given with a warm, dry hand is a great way to
set up a trust.

2.7Cs of Effective Communication

1. Clarity

• Clarity is the soul of a message. It means the accurate transfer of ideas from the
sender‘s side to the receiver.
• Every message should be conveyed in a clear manner. Clarity comes through clear
thinking. A good message shows the idea directly and clearly.

• A writer should not start the message unless he knows how (use of language) and
what (central idea) he wants to say. A message written in the simple and ordinary
language is always natural and appreciable.

• To achieve clarity, keep in mind the following points: – Use common and simple
language. – Construct effective sentences and short paragraphs. – Use concrete
words instead of abstract words. – Avoid unnecessary information.

2. Correctness

• Language experts say that writing is art but difficult. There is no shortcut to being
a good writer. It is learned through consistent practice and constant struggle. The
message being

communicated must be correct. Correctness refers to correct grammar, punctuation, and

spelling. Though mistakes are never intentional yet they spoil the image.

• To achieve correctness, follow these guidelines: – Check the accuracy of facts and
figures. – Check mistakes in punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. – Check
misspelled words. – Use the right level of language

3. Conciseness

• The beauty of diction lies in its conciseness. Conciseness means brief and complete.
Be as brief as possible. But it must not be so brief as to be discourteous.

• Conciseness is a pre-requisite to effective messages. A concise message

saves time and expense for both sender and receiver.

• To achieve conciseness, observe the following suggestions: – Remove the wordy

expressions. – Include only relevant material. – Avoid unnecessary repetition.

4. Courtesy

• Courtesy is the most important quality of the messenger. ―Everyone gains where
courtesy reigns‖ is an old but wise saying. Courtesy means politeness. It is an attitude
that shows respect for others. It helps in building goodwill.
• It is not enough to use polite expressions like‖ thank you‖, ‖kindly‖, ―we appreciate‖,
―please‖ etc but the whole letter must have a courteous tone.

• To achieve courtesy, keep in mind the following points: – Be sincere. – Use

expressions that show respect. – Be thoughtful and appreciative of the receiver‘s point
of view. – Avoid humor. – Avoid discriminatory language i.e., race, color, gender, creed
etc.

5. Concreteness

• Communicating concretely means being specific, meaningful and clear. Vague and
general messages result in no response. It helps the receiver to understand the exact
idea. Concrete use of available facts and figures adds to the authenticity of the
message.

• To achieve concreteness, consider the following ways: – Use clear and image building
words. – Use specific facts and figures. – Use active voice than passive voice.

6. Consideration

• Consideration is to put you in the place of the receiver. It means preparing every
message with the message receiver in mind. This mode of consideration is called
―you attitude‖.

• When you are truly considerate, you try to show sincere regard for his interests and
benefits. To be considerate, the following points should be kept in mind:

– See your material from your reader‘s point of view.

– Focus on ―you‖ instead of‖ we‖ e.g.,

– Be sure about the benefits of the receiver.

– Consider the needs and problems of the receiver.

– Use positive and optimistic

–
 7. Completeness

• A message should be complete to bring the desired result. A complete message

contains all the facts required by the receiver. The receiver‘s reaction to an incomplete
message is often unfavorable. An incomplete message shows negligence and
carelessness of the writer.

• For completeness follow these guidelines: – Remember the five W‘s (what, when,
where, why, who) and how. – Provide all the necessary information. – Answer all the
questions asked. – Include additional information, if desired.

• It can be said that awareness of these 7 C‘s of effective communication makes

you a good communicator.

3.Communication Process
The communication is a dynamic process that begins with the conceptualizing of ideas
by the sender who then transmits the message through a channel to the receiver, who in
turn gives the feedback in the form of some message or signal within the given time
frame. Thus, there are Seven major elements of communication process:

1. Sender: The sender or the communicator is the person who initiates the
conversation and has conceptualized the idea that he intends to convey it to others.
2. Encoding: The sender begins with the encoding process wherein he uses certain
words or non- verbal methods such as symbols, signs, body gestures, etc. to translate
the information into a message. The sender‘s knowledge, skills, perception,
background, competencies, etc. has a great impact on the success of the message.

3. Message: Once the encoding is finished, the sender gets the message that he intends
to convey. The message can be written, oral, symbolic or non-verbal such as body
gestures, silence, signs, sounds, etc. or any other signal that triggers the response of
a receiver.

4. Communication Channel: The Sender chooses the medium through which he wants
to convey his message to the recipient. It must be selected carefully in order to make
the message effective and correctly interpreted by the recipient. The choice of medium
depends on the interpersonal relationships between the sender and the receiver and
also on the urgency of the message being sent. Oral, virtual, written, sound, gesture,
etc. are some of the commonly used communication mediums.

5. Receiver: The receiver is the person for whom the message is intended or targeted. He
tries to comprehend it in the best possible manner such that the communication
objective is attained. The degree to which the receiver decodes the message depends
on his knowledge of the subject matter, experience, trust and relationship with the
sender.

6. Decoding: Here, the receiver interprets the sender‘s message and tries to understand it
in the best possible manner. An effective communication occurs only if the receiver
understands the message in exactly the same way as it was intended by the sender.

7. Feedback: The Feedback is the final step of the process that ensures the receiver has
received the message and interpreted it correctly as it was intended by the sender. It
increases the effectiveness of the communication as it permits the sender to know the
efficacy of his message. The response of the receiver can be verbal or non-verbal.

4.Barriers In Communication

The process of communication has multiple barriers. The intended communique will often
be disturbed and distorted leading to a condition of misunderstanding and failure of
communication. The Barriers to effective communication could be of many types like
linguistic, psychological, emotional, physical, and cultural etc. We will see all of these
types in detail below.

Linguistic Barriers/Language Barriers

The language barrier is one of the main barriers that limit effective communication.
Language is the most commonly employed tool of communication. The fact that each
major region has its own

language is one of the Barriers to effective communication. Sometimes even a thick dialect
may render the communication ineffective.

As per some estimates, the dialects of every two regions changes within a few kilometers.
Even in the same workplace, different employees will have different linguistic skills. As a
result, the communication channels that span across the organization would be affected
by this.

Thus keeping this barrier in mind, different considerations have to be made for different
employees. Some of them are very proficient in a certain language and others will be ok
with these languages.

Psychological Barriers

There are various mental and psychological issues that may be barriers to effective
communication. Some people have stage fear, speech disorders, phobia, depression etc.
All of these conditions are very difficult to manage sometimes and will most certainly limit
the ease of communication.

Emotional Barriers

The emotional IQ of a person determines the ease and comfort with which they can
communicate. A person who is emotionally mature will be able to communicate
effectively. On the other hand, people who let their emotions take over will face certain
difficulties.

A perfect mixture of emotions and facts is necessary for effective communication.

Emotions like anger, frustration, humour, can blur the decision-making capacities of a
person and thus limit the effectiveness of their communication.

Physical Barriers

They are the most obvious barriers to effective communication. These barriers are mostly
easily removable in principle at least. They include barriers like noise, closed doors, faulty
equipment used for communication, closed cabins, etc. Sometimes, in a large office, the
physical separation between

various employees combined with faulty equipment may result in severe barriers to
effective communication.

Cultural Barriers

As the world is getting more and more globalized, any large office may have people from
several parts of the world. Different cultures have a different meaning for several basic
values of society. Dressing, Religions or lack of them, food, drinks, pets, and the general
behaviour will change drastically from one culture to another.

Hence it is a must that we must take these different cultures into account while
communication. This is what we call being culturally appropriate. In many multinational
companies, special courses are offered at the orientation stages that let people know
about other cultures and how to be courteous and tolerant of others.

Organisational Structure Barriers

As we saw there are many methods of communication at an organizational level. Each of

these methods has its own problems and constraints that may become barriers to
effective communication. Most of these barriers arise because of misinformation or lack of
appropriate transparency available to the employees.

Attitude Barriers

Certain people like to be left alone. They are the introverts or just people who are not very
social. Others like to be social or sometimes extra clingy! Both these cases could become
a barrier to communication. Some people have attitude issues, like huge ego and
inconsiderate behaviours.
These employees can cause severe strains in the communication channels that they are
present in. Certain personality traits like shyness, anger, social anxiety may be removable
through courses and proper training. However, problems like egocentric behaviour and
selfishness may not be correctable.

Perception Barriers

Different people perceive the same things differently. This is a fact which we must
consider during the communication process. Knowledge of the perception levels of the
audience is crucial to effective communication. All the messages or communique must be
easy and clear. There shouldn‘t be any room for a diversified interpretational set.

Physiological Barriers

Certain disorders or diseases or other limitations could also prevent effective

communication between the various channels of an organization. The shrillness of voice,
dyslexia, etc are some examples of physiological barriers to effective communication.
However, these are not crucial because they can easily be compensated and removed.

Technological Barriers & Socio-religious Barriers

Other barriers include the technological barriers. The technology is developing fast and as
a result, it becomes difficult to keep up with the newest developments. Hence sometimes
the technological advance may become a barrier. In addition to this, the cost of
technology is sometimes very high.

Most of the organizations will not be able to afford a decent tech for the purpose of
communication. Hence, this becomes a very crucial barrier. Other barriers are socio-
religious barriers. In a patriarchal society, a woman or a transgender may face many
difficulties and barriers while communicating.